Airship including aerodynamic, floatation, and deployable structures

Abstract

An airship is provided. The airship includes a hull configured to contain a gas, at least one propulsion assembly coupled to the hull and including a propulsion device, and at least one aerodynamic component including a plurality of fairing structures including one or more slats, wherein the at least one aerodynamic component is associated with the hull and is configured to direct airflow around the airship.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An airship comprising;
 a hull configured to contain a gas; 
 at least one propulsion assembly coupled to the hull and including a propulsion device; and 
 at least two floatation structures configured to support the airship during a water landing, wherein:
 the at least two floatation structures comprises a pair of outboard pontoons and a pair of main pontoons; and 
 the at least two floatation structures each comprise deployable pontoon housed inside the hull and configured to be extendable outside of the hull, 
 
 at least two support members connected to the hull and extending away from each other and the hull, 
 wherein each of the at least two support members is attached at one end to the hull and at a second end to an end portion of one of the pair of outboard pontoons or one of the pair of main pontoons to provide buoyancy to the hull when the floatation structure is in water; and 
 an empennage assembly including a pair of horizontal stabilizing members that constitute two support members of the at least two support members. 
 
     
     
       2. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises a support structure, and wherein the at least one propulsion assembly comprises:
 a first propulsion assembly operatively affixed to a first section of the support structure and configured to control a roll motion of the airship; 
 a second propulsion assembly operatively affixed to a second section of the support structure and configured to control a yaw motion of the airship; and 
 a third propulsion assembly operatively affixed to a third section of the support structure and configured to control a pitch motion of the airship. 
 
     
     
       3. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the hull comprises:
 a solar energy converting material. 
 
     
     
       4. The airship of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one compartment disposed substantially inside the hull; and 
 at least one transport system configured to lower or raise the at least one compartment out of or into the hull. 
 
     
     
       5. The airship of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more containers disposed inside the hull and configured to contain a lighter-than-air gas. 
 
     
     
       6. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises:
 a first envelope; and 
 a second envelope, 
 wherein a space is defined between the first and second envelopes. 
 
     
     
       7. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the empennage assembly is operatively connected to a support structure of the hull and configured to provide at least one of stabilization and navigation functionality to the airship. 
     
     
       8. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of main pontoons are larger than the pair of outboard pontoons. 
     
     
       9. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least two support members includes a first pair of support members attaching the pair of outboard pontoons to the hull and a second pair of support members attaching the pair of main pontoons to the hull, 
 the first pair of support members are attached to the hull at a rear portion of the hull, and 
 the second pair of support members are attached to the hull at a central portion of the hull. 
 
     
     
       10. The airship of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an empennage assembly operatively connected to a support structure of the hull and configured to provide at least one of stabilization and navigation functionality to the airship, the empennage assembly including a pair of horizontal stabilizing members, 
 wherein the second pair of support members are the horizontal stabilizing members of the empennage assembly. 
 
     
     
       11. The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of outboard pontoons are separated from each other by a distance greater than a largest width of the hull. 
     
     
       12. An airship comprising:
 a hull configured to contain a gas and including an enlarged lower portion; 
 at least one propulsion assembly coupled to the hull and including a propulsion device; and 
 at least two support members connected to the hull and extending away from each other and the hull; 
 at least one floatation structure configured to support the airship during a water landing, wherein:
 the at least one floatation structure includes the enlarged lower portion of the hull, 
 the enlarged lower portion of the hull is formed of a first material configured to provide buoyancy to the hull when the hull is in water, and 
 the enlarged lower portion of the hull is hollow or filled with a second material configured to provide buoyancy to the hull when the hull is in water; 
 the at least one floatation structure further includes a pair of main pontoons and a pair of outboard pontoons connected to the hull by the at least two support members, wherein each of the at least two support members is attached at one end to the hull and at a second end to an end portion of one of the pair of outboard pontoons to provide buoyancy to the hull when the floatation structure is in water; 
 wherein each of the main pontoons and the outboard pontoons comprise a deployable pontoon housed inside the hull and configured to be extendable outside of the hull; and 
 
 an empennage assembly operatively connected to a support structure of the hull and including a pair of horizontal stabilizing members, wherein the horizontal stabilizing members of the empennage assembly constitute two support members of the at least two support members. 
 
     
     
       13. The airship of  claim 12 , wherein the empennage assembly is configured to provide at least one of stabilization and navigation functionality to the airship. 
     
     
       14. The airship of  claim 12 , wherein the pair of outboard pontoons are separated from each other by a distance greater than a largest width of the hull. 
     
     
       15. The airship of  claim 12 , wherein a bottom of the pair of outboard pontoons is above a bottom of the enlarged lower portion of the hull when the hull and outboard pontoons are in water.